With Governor Corzine about to hand the NJ Builders Association a major legislative and political victory in the War on the Environment (TM), the development lobby is laying plans for an even larger assault come September.

Bill WolfeDEP Commisioner Jackson and Governor Corzine consult at NJEF conference in Newark back in April 2008.

It appears that DEP Commissioner Jackson's influence on Corzine is waning, as pro-economic development factions gain momentum

Environmentalists vigorously opposed the bill and now are asking Corzine for a Conditional Veto. Good luck with that, as Corzine obviously green lighted the initiative months ago, when he slammed the brakes on various DEP regulatory initiatives and when he refused to back DEP and rein in Joe Doria in an internal war with the Department of Community Affairs Commissioner. DCA is working closely (and secretly) with the Builders Association.

"The votes in the Senate and Assembly send the bill to Gov. Jon Corzine, who is expected to support it after his environmental protection commissioner helped shape a compromise between developers and environmentalists last week."

Prior to that public battle, the Builders achieved a series of behind the scenes major victories in winning loopholes in DEP clean water and toxic site cleanup regulations, creation of a DEP "Permit Efficiency Taskforce", and with control over DCA.

Combined with the huge victory on Permit Extension Act, they now have the wind strongly behind their back.

Attempting to capitalize on that momentum, the Builders are now planning another major assault in September that will make Permit Extension Act seem like a minor skirmish. Most recently, the Builders boldly announced the upcoming battle:

"The Permit Extension Act is the first of a dozen bills of a legislative package put together by the business advocacy group, the Smart Growth Economic Development Coalition, aimed at making New Jersey more "business-friendly." Nearly two years in the making, that package was rolled out publicly in early June.